Last week, I was feeling nostalgic, so I reconnected my watch and, I won't lie, it works nicely. From my normal setup, it's missing WhatsApp, Facer, and a 2048 app that I like in particular. In the development settings, I set the animations to .5.NGL I'm enjoying the experience
Hi everyone,
I’m building a Flutter Wear OS app and need a cheap used Wear OS watch for testing (Play Store + install third-party apps).
What are the cheapest real Wear OS models I should look for?
Also, is there ANY hidden budget option or older model that still works well for development?
I don’t care about battery or design, just something that runs Wear OS properly and also a rectangular shape one.
Thanks
Most tech reviewers test smartwatches by sitting at a desk, receiving a few notifications, and concluding that the battery "easily lasts a day." But if you actually bought this watch for its intended purpose—comprehensive health tracking and daily fitness monitoring—that lazy analysis doesn’t hold up.
After conducting a meticulous drain test from 100% to empty, logging every activity and battery drop, here is the unfiltered truth about the Pixel Watch 4’s battery life from the perspective of an active, fitness-focused user.
I don’t buy a premium smartwatch just to mirror phone notifications. My primary reason for wearing one is dedicated health and sports tracking. My typical routine over this 33-hour cycle includes:
- Indoor workouts: ~50 minutes of fast running/walking on a treadmill.
- Outdoor workouts: Nearly 3 hours of outdoor walking (split into two sessions) with my dogs, requiring continuous GPS tracking.
- Continuous Health Monitoring: Heart rate tracking second-by-second, step counting, and full overnight sleep tracking (including SpO2 and HRV).
- The Only Compromise: I keep the Always-On Display (AOD) TURNED OFF to maximize efficiency.
The Reality...
Google advertises up to 40 hours of battery life with AOD enabled, and they even claim the battery can survive a full marathon with GPS active.
During my test, the watch survived exactly 33 hours and 17 minutes before hitting 5%. Remember, this was with the AOD turned off. The savings from keeping the screen off didn't give me extra days; instead, it acted as a "buffer" to fund the high energy cost of my workouts. If I had turned AOD on, the watch would have died mid-day.
My testing revealed how the hardware handles different types of exercise:
Indoor Tracking (Treadmill): Extremely Efficient. When tracking a 49-minute run indoors, the watch only uses motion sensors and the heart rate monitor. The battery drop was a mere 3% (about 4.4% per hour). Under a roof, without the screen fighting the sun, the efficiency is outstanding.
Outdoor Tracking (GPS): The Battery Killer. The moment you step outside and the satellite antenna turns on, the narrative changes. Continuous GPS tracking burns between 7.5% and 8.5% of battery per hour. A single 1-hour-and-47-minute walk with my dogs drained a massive 14% of the entire tank.
I would call the Battery, Not Bad, Not Great—Just "Functional"
I wouldn't call the Pixel Watch 4 battery bad, but I certainly wouldn't call it good. It is strictly functional.
If you miss a single charge window, you will not make it through the next day. Because the charging curve slows down significantly at the end to protect the battery, simply putting the watch on the puck for 15 minutes while you shower in the morning isn't enough—it will only recoup about 30% to 40%, leaving you stranded by evening.
To make this watch work for an active lifestyle, you have to adopt a strategic dual-charge routine:
- Every night charge it for a bit before going to bed so it can comfortably track your sleep without morning anxiety.
- I'm the morning give it at least 25 minutes on the charger in the morning to top it off to 100% before you leave the house.
The Google Pixel Watch 4 is an excellent smartwatch with top-tier health metrics, a beautiful design, and incredibly accurate tracking. However, its power management needs improvement.
While competitors like OnePlus or Xiaomi use massive batteries or dual-processor architectures to deliver 3 to 6 days of battery life, Google forces active users to become energy managers. If you are willing to manage your charging habits like clockwork, the watch is highly functional. But if you expect a multi-day fitness companion that matches Google's carefree marketing claims, you might find yourself staring at a black screen.
We’ve officially teamed up with Sega to bring Sonic the Hedgehog and friends to Facer!
You’ll see a mix of animated watch faces that channel Sega’s signature style and gaming roots. Think favorite characters, throwback visuals, and iconic moments, all designed to look awesome while still being functional.
This partnership is part of Facer’s ongoing effort to bring premium, officially licensed content to its global community, giving users more ways to express themselves through their smartwatches.
Whether you grew up collecting rings, or just love standout designs, this drop is going to be something special.
⏳ The official Sonic collection is coming in the next few weeks
⌚ Apple Watch, Wear OS, and other devices supported by Facer
Let us know 👇
What kind of Sonic faces do YOU want to see on your wrist?
Hi all.
After several years with Amazfit watches I decided to try something new, and while I expected a smarter watch, it feels like a step back in basic features.
A. Wake up the screen when getting notification - I prefer AOD over raise-to-awake, but now I can't see the notification without manually turn on the screen.
I tried "wear notification helper" but I didn't like the solution of extra notification.
Is there any new solution?
B. Auto DND - is there a way to make the watch enter DND mode automatically when it detect I went to sleep, *and exit when I woke up*? The hibernation mode is just half way. I still have to turn on the watch manually at the morning.
In the Amazfit watch, it worked even with short naps during the day.
edit: I found the sleep mode
C. Is there a way to make the screen brighter in AOD mode?
In general, is there an app that add necessary features/settings to the watch?
My screen has turned red over the last 2 days. From what I've read online, my watch's display is gone for good and I need to replace the screen.
Has anyone faced a similar issue? Is there anything I can do to fix this without spending much?
Hey, a while ago I built a weather app for myself because I couldn't find one that quite fit my needs. I was mainly looking for a clean, readable UI, so that’s exactly the direction I went in when designing it.
In the latest version, I focused especially on improving startup performance. Also removed requirement to share precise location, as it turned out to be unnecessary.
link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.pioterl.weatherapp
I’d really appreciate it if you left a review on the Google Play Store.
I’m building a Wear OS gym app (currently published as beta) and would like to get input from people who use their smartwatch during workouts (or would like to do so).
The idea is to create a complete watch app for fitness workouts so that you can train without constantly taking out your phone (which for me was always annoying).
The app is called Trainio and these features are already working or in progress:
It would be highly appreciated if you could tell me which features you are missing/what do you think would be cool and also your opinion on the features that I already have.
Of course testers are always welcome as well, you can find the app in the Store or ask me for the link.
I feel like most people still mainly use their watches for notifications, health tracking and maybe Google Maps, but I’ve been surprised by some of the newer interactive apps recently.
I tried the Phigolf app on my Pixel Watch after seeing someone mention it in a golf thread and I honestly expected it to be one of those apps you open once and forget about. Ended up using it multiple times during the week.
The setup process was ridiculously simple too. Install app on watch, connect to phone and start swinging around immediately. No complicated setup screens or weird syncing problems which is honestly rare with some smartwatch apps.
What I liked most was that it felt casual and accessible instead of overly serious.
Made me realize Wear OS is finally getting to the point where the app ecosystem feels genuinely useful beyond just notifications and step counting.
Anyone else found unexpected apps they actually stuck with?
Ich möchte demnächst von amazfit auf wear os umsteigen, weil ich einfach gern mehr Apps am Handgelenk hätte. Da die Akkulaufzeit das größte Thema ist, bin ich auf der Suche nach der Uhr mit der größten Ausdauer und dabei auf die One plus 3 gestoßen.
Wie sind eure Erfahrungen? Hält die Uhr ein paar Tage gut durch?
Oder gibt es eine noch bessere, die ich bei meiner Recherche übersehen habe?
Hi all!
First off all, this post is just because of the reason that me and many others seem to have the same problem and so far no solution has been published afaik or it's somewhere where i can't find it...
Secondly,
Problem:
Since work profiles, for example with Microsoft Intune, have a seperate playstore for work apps, Android and Wear OS seem to have a thing where they can't recognize work profile apps as installed, therefore Android can't push the notifications anywhere else but on the phone, and Wear OS can't recognize the notifications for the same reason.
Solution:
It's as easy as weird but the solution is simply to install the corresponding app from the regular Playstore. In my case for example, we use Teams for internal communications at my workplace. Teams is installed as a work app through work profile Playstore. I then go into the personal Playstore and download the regular Teams app for "private use".
Then in the Galaxy Wearable app (in my case), i go to app notifications and after the regular Teams installation, Teams Work app notifications is now availble in the list to turn on to be pushed to my watch.
This is not possible to activate because the work app is missing in the list if the normal app isn't installed.
The regular app does not have to be setup or used, and notifications does not have to be turned on either. If you are lucky as me, you can even uninstall the regular app after allowing the work profile app notifications in the Galaxy Wearable app settings.
Hope this provides something for you all reading this 😄
regards
Hi guys. I can get a Galaxy Watch Ultra(2025) for $370. Or i can get a Pixel Watch 4
45mm LTE for $475. Wich one to pick?
I have a OnePlus 15 so ecosystem doesn't matter to me.
Hi Everyone!
A huge thank you to the testers from this sub who helped me through the closed testing phase. Wear Universal Remote is officially LIVE on the Play Store!
The "Magic" Part: Most remote apps require you to install a "Server" or "Companion" app on your computer. Mine doesn't. It uses standard Bluetooth HID, meaning your watch treats itself as a literal Bluetooth Mouse/Keyboard. It works with Windows, Mac, Android TV, and Linux right out of the box.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
🖱️ THE 3D AIR MOUSE This is my favorite part. Control your PC cursor just by moving your wrist. I’ve spent a lot of time on the smoothing algorithm so it feels "liquid" and precise. And yes, the Digital Crown works for scrolling!
🎙️ MEETING REMOTE (Mac & PC) Stop fumbling for the mute button. I’ve built dedicated shortcut profiles for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
• Mute/Unmute, Camera Toggle, Raise Hand, and Leave Call.
• Switcher for Windows/Linux and macOS keyboard layouts.
📺 COUCH MODE (TV & Media)
• Full D-Pad remote for Android/Google TV.
• One-tap Home, Back, and Power buttons.
• Dedicated Media remote for Music/DAP playback.
🛠️ SYSTEM UTILITY & PRODUCTIVITY
• Task Management: Alt-Tab app switcher, Task Manager, and Close Window.
• Navigation: One-tap to open File Explorer/Finder, System Search, and Screenshots.
• Security: Instant "Lock PC" and "Show Desktop" buttons.
📊 PRO PRESENTER Perfect for students or professionals. Start/flip slides in PPT or Keynote from across the room.
📸 REMOTE SHUTTER Trigger your phone’s camera from your wrist—perfect for group shots!
⚙️ CUSTOM SETTINGS
• Independent sensitivity for Air Mouse vs. Trackpad.
• Adjustable Haptic feedback.
• Battery-saving "Dim Mode" (it lowers brightness while you're using it to save juice).
Process for Pairing & Connecting/Switching Devices -
To Pair the New Device in the App - Click Pair button, this will open a Watch's Bluetooth Settings, Now Pair your Device and come Back to the Apps Screen, The Device will gets connected Automatically else click on Connect button & select the Device you wanted to connect.
To Switch from One device to other - First Click on the Disconnect Red Button to disconnect the already connected device. After that Pair new device and Click on the Connect button to choose paired device from list.
After using the App if you want to close the full app, go to the notifications and click on the Stop button.
I’m a solo dev, and this is a total passion project. I wanted to turn the watch into a genuine productivity tool rather than just a notification buzzer.
I’d love to hear your thoughts or what remotes you think I should add next!
- AD
I have a Fossil Gen 5 that I loved, but the battery life on it is awful. It can barely make a day in all the lowest power settings and going for a run with it, it won't last 30 minutes.
I'd switched to a basic Forerunner 55, but I find the app market place quite limited. There's no C25K type apps, no run coaching etc.
I could go to a more expensive Garmin which may help with this, but I'd like a proper smart watch with fitness aspects, rather than the other way around.
Looking around I see there is the Pixel 4, the OnePlus 4, Samsung Watch 8. My current phone is a Xiaomi, so I'm not sure it's worth getting a Samsung watch if there are features cut off from me.
I'm looking for a watch that can:
That last one is a nice to have, but not essential. But a battery life of a couple of days would be fine, I can charge easily, but sleep tracking would be interesting, though not essential. But it's got to actually last a full day.
What's the recommendations out there?
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for help testing my very first Wear OS app on Google Play: VERITEX.
The app is a fun “biometric lie detector” experience for smartwatch users, using heart rate and sensor variations to simulate stress analysis directly on the watch.
Google now requires at least 12 testers for 14 days before I can fully publish the app, so I’m trying to reach that requirement.
The app:
What I need:
I can also test your app in return if needed.
First, join the google group to have access to the playstore links:
https://groups.google.com/g/veritex-testers
Test links:
Watch:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wear.veritex.presentation
Mobile:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wear.veritex
Thanks a lot for the help!
I created a complication that displays upcoming calendar events as arcs along the border: Radial Agenda Complication.
Each arc inherits the color from his parent calendar and sizes itself according to the hour hand - i.e. an event from 8:00 to 9:30 will span from the 8h tick to between the 9h and 10h ticks. Overlapping events are inset so they can be shown separately.
The complication is built as a "large image" type so it should be supported by any watch face that supports those. I actually built my own simple watch face (Radial Agenda) shown in the screenshots.
Instructions:
Feedback is welcome.
What is going on WearOS
So many people with a galaxy watch of various versions are having an awful time with their watch battery due to Google play services what is going on and when is there a fix
There are three potential approaches.
One possibility is to utilize an application with Tile support that can display live scores.
Another option is to use a browser web tile.
Lastly, when I inquire about cricket scores with Gemini, it typically provides the score in a text format. However, on occasion, it presents a distinct interface on my watch, which is a very clear scorecard. Could you please advise on how to consistently trigger that scorecard display instead of the text response?
